Clean steam electric engine

ABSTRACT

A clean steam electric engine utilizes a unique insulated chamber with a steel cylinder to store thermal energy. The apparatus includes: insulated chamber to prevent heat lost to the outside, steel cylinder to store thermal energy, natural gas burner, heating element, a turbine to convert the thermal energy into kinetic energy, condenser coil with air conditioning unit to convert the steam back to water, steel container to store water from the condenser, electric pump to the pump water back to the cylinder to be converted back to steam, and steel container to store natural gas.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention generally relates to steam engine, more specifically itrelates to the energy source that was used to power the steam engine.Energy sources like coal, and nuclear are used today to generate steamto power steam engine. The present invention solves the energy sourcerequirement by storing the electric energy produced from the generatoras a heat form in the heating chamber. In the chamber the heatingelement heats the chamber by using the electric generated from thegenerator. The steel cylinder in the chamber stores the thermal energythat will be used by the system. This method not only efficient but isvery clean and safe to human as well as to the environment.

2. Description of the Related Art

It can be appreciated that steam engine have been used effectively sincethe industrial revolution, especially for locomotive such as train,tractor, boats etc. Steams engine powered by coal and nuclear are stillused today widely to produce electricity.

The main problem with conventional method is the fuel source. The fuelsused to generate steam such as nuclear, and coal have adverse effect tothe environment and human being. The fuel source used today not only badto human health but also the raw material for the fuel has to always bemined from the ground and the raw material will eventually run out. Theother problem with the conventional steam engine is the thermal waste.The way the system is designed, it does not require insulation tominimize heat lost, because the fuels used such as coal and nuclear arerelatively inexpensive.

Attempts have been made to solve these problems by inventing a bettermethod to generate electricity. For example wind, solar, and geothermalare good examples. These methods are much more efficient and clean thannuclear and coal but have some other limitations. Wind for example isclean, efficient, and uses renewable source, such as wind to produceelectricity but wind blows sufficiently only at certain location. Solaris clean and efficient but it depends on the sun to produce electricity.Geothermal is clean source of energy but it can only be located atcertain geographic location, where hot lava and water are present.

The present invention addresses the existing method problems byaddressing the location, efficiency, health, and environmental problems.The system can be constructed anywhere without any problem to theenvironment. The system is also efficient, renewable, and clean. Thesystem works by storing the electrical energy produced from thegenerator as thermal energy. The thermal energy is stored in the wall ofthe steel cylinder. Based on the application, the size and thickness ofthe steel cylinder can be small or large. Larger size steel cylinderwill be able to store more energy. The thermal energy is then convertedto mechanical energy in the turbine. Steam transfers the thermal energyfrom the cylinder to the turbine to be converted to mechanical energy torun the generator. The invention substantial departs from theconventional concept and designs, and in doing so dramatically improvessteam engine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing problem and limitation in the known types ofenergy sources such as coal, oil, nuclear, wind, solar, and geo-thermal,the present invention addresses the problem and limitation by storing athermal energy from a clean source such as electric generator andconverting it to mechanical energy, without any adverse effect to theenvironment. The system is also not limited to certain geographiclocations.

In one embodiment of the invention, the insulated chamber provides aplace for the steel cylinder by preventing heat loss to the outside. Theheat generated from the heating element, heats the chamber to the safetemperature of 600 F. The heating element uses the electric generatedfrom the generator. The steel cylinder in the chamber stores the thermalenergy that will be converted to mechanical energy. To transfer thethermal energy, water is pumped to the cylinder. The water changes tosteam in the cylinder to transfer the thermal energy to the turbine. Theturbine converts the thermal energy to mechanical energy by turning theshaft that is attached to the turbine blades. The generator attached toshaft produce electricity as the shaft rotates.

In a further embodiment, the steam from the turbine goes to thecondenser coil. The condenser coil condenses the steam back to water.The air conditioning unit makes the condensing process more efficient.The water from the condenser is collected in a steel container. Thewater in the container is then pumped to the steel cylinder. In thecylinder the water is converted back to steam. This process transfersthermal energy from the cylinder to the turbine to be converted tomechanical energy. The water pumped to the cylinder can be increased orlowered based on the energy requirement of the system. High-pressurewater or large amount of water pumped to the cylinder increase thepressure inside the cylinder. This allows large amount of thermal energyto be transferred from the cylinder to the turbine. Steam with highpressure increases the turbine speed. The turbine speed can be loweredby decreasing the water pressure entering the cylinder.

In a further embodiment, the system requires energy source such asnatural gas, and battery, to start the electric generator. The inventionuses natural gas at the beginning to heat the chamber to 600 F to startsystem. When the system reaches 600 F, water is pumped to the cylinderto transfer the thermal energy to the turbine to run the generator. Theelectric generated from the generator will start heating the chamberalong with the natural gas. When the heat generated from the generatorreaches the optimal level, the heat from the natural gas will be turnedoff gradually because the heat from the heating element alone issufficient to achieve the 600 F temperature required inside the steelcylinder. The opening on the bottom for combustion and the opening ontop for exhaust will be closed after the system switches to thegenerator. This will allow the chamber to be completely insulated fromthe outside for maximum efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, Part A is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the airconditioning unit.

FIG. 1, Part B is a simplified cross-sectional side view of thecondenser coil.

FIG. 1, Part C is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the steelcylinder and insulated chamber housing the cylinder. The chamber alsoincludes 660 watt heating element, natural gas burner, air inlet on thebottom, and exhaust on top. The cylinder is attached to a steel pipe tobring water to the cylinder and take the steam form the cylinder to theturbine.

FIG. 1, Part D1 is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the steamturbine. Generators #1 and #3 are attached to the turbine.

FIG. 1, Part E1 is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the smallersteam turbine. Generators #2 and #4 are attached to the turbine.

FIG. 1, Part F is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the steelwater container.

FIG. 1, Part G is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the waterpump.

FIG. 1, Part H is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the naturalgas container.

FIG. 2, Parts A, B, C, F, G, and H are similar to FIG. 1 drawing.Therefore description not required.

FIG. 2, Part D2, E2, are simplified cross-sectional side view of thecylinder, piston, connecting rod, shaft, and generators attached to #1,#2, #3, and #4.

FIG. 2, Part I, is a simplified cross-sectional side view of the steamdistribution apparatus. The unit includes rotating device, L shapemoving device connecting the rotating part to the steel rod, connectingrod, and four valves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is described below with reference to the drawing; similarparts of the invention are referenced with similar number throughout.The drawing are not necessarily drawn to scale, nor do they show all thevarious part of the invention but they merely show certain features andelements to provide enabling description of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, Part C of the invention, the insulated chamberincludes: a steel cylinder, heating element, gas burner, air inlet onthe bottom, exhaust on top, intake steel pipe to bring pressurized waterto the steel cylinder, steel pipe for transferring steam to the turbine,several layer of insulation to insulate the chamber from the outside toprevent heat loss.

Referring again to FIG. 1, Part C, of the steel cylinder of theprototype, the steel cylinder has a total volume of 301,907 cubiccentimeters (3.14*31 cm*31 cm*100 cm). The steel material that makes upthe cylinder has a volume of 76,614 cubic centimeters (3.14*31 cm*31cm*3 cm*2+195 cm*100 cm*3 cm). The 3 cm thick cylinder will be able towithstand high pressure as well as store sufficient thermal energy. The76,614 cubic centimeters of steel cylinder will be able to storesufficient thermal energy to run the internal part of the system as wellas outside such as running a generator, water pump, and locomotive. The76,614 cubic centimeters of steel cylinder weighs 594,678 g (76,614cubic cm*7.762 g/cubic cm). The density of steel is 7.762 g/cubiccentimeters.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, once the chamber has been well insulatedthe steel cylinder was heated using 660 watt heating element. The dataon FIG. 3 shows the time it took to increase the temperature of steelcylinder from low temperature of 200 F to high temperature of 700 F. Ittook 5 hours and 18 minutes to increase the temperature of the heatingchamber with 680 g of steel cylinder to 700 F. The data on FIG. 3 alsoshows the time it took to reach the given temperature every 100 Finterval. The chamber with 680 g of steel cylinder for example took 34minutes and 50 seconds to reach 200 F, and 1 hour, 13 minutes, and 20seconds to reach 300 F, the rest of the data is shown on FIG. 3. If thesteel cylinder weighs 594,678 g it will take approximately 3,411 hr(594,678 g*234 min/680 g*1 hr/60 min) using 660 watt of heating elementto increase the temperature of the steel cylinder to 600 F. The 3,411 hrcan be lower or higher when the actual experiment is carried out. Afterthe time has been determined, the second experiment was carried out tofind the rate of temperature increase at that specific temperature asshown on FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows the temperature reading from the prototypeand the calculation to find the rate of temperature increase (DegreeFahrenheit/Second) at that specific temperature. The calculation showsrate of temperature increase (Degree Fahrenheit/Second) at 200 F, 300 F,400 F, 500 F, 600 F, and 700 F. At a high temperature the prototypeinsulation did not perform properly (it did not prevent large amount ofheat loss to the outside). Increasing the layer of insulation or usingdifferent material will solve this problem. To prevent distortion, thedata (rate of temp increase) at 600 F and 700 F were omitted from thepower output calculation. The rates of temperature increase that wereused for the power output calculation were 0.13 F/Sec at 200 F, 0.20F/Sec at 300 F, 0.24 F/Sec at 400 F, and 0.29 F/Sec at 500 F. The rateof change 0.27 F/Sec at 600 F and 0.26 F/Sec at 700 F were omitted toprevent distortion to power output calculation.

Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 shows the power released at varioustemperature. To calculate the power released at give temperature,specific heat of steel (J/gk), the weight of the steel cylinder (g), andthe rate of temperature increase (K/sec) were used. At a low temperatureof 200 F, the power released from the steel cylinder is 20,148 watt(J/sec). At a high temperature of 1,355 F, the power released is 773,081watt (J/sec). The system will run at 600 F to avoid structural failureof the steel cylinder. Steel starts loosing strength at 572 F and startsincreasing after 752 F, by 1,022 F steel losses about 40% of it roomtemperature strength. This temperature (550 F or 1,022 F) is also knownas the critical temperature of steel. After the steel cylinder reach atemperature of 600 F, water is pumped to the cylinder to carry thethermal energy from the cylinder to the steam turbine. In the turbinethe thermal energy is converted to mechanical energy to run thegenerator. As the thermal energy is transferred to the turbine formechanical work the system will reach equilibrium (the energy producedequal the energy used) and the temperature in the cylinder will stopgoing up. When the system is run at 600 F, 61,121 watt (J/Sec) of powerhas to be transferred from the cylinder to the turbine to keep thetemperature at 600 F, as shown on FIG. 5, A. The equilibrium can be setat a lower or higher temperature depending on the system energyrequirement but it is not recommended to go to a high temperature toavoid structural failure. Also the system cannot run at a lowertemperature, for example around 300 F, because steam with enough powercannot be produced at this temperature.

Referring again to FIG. 5, the actual energy output can be calculated bytaking into account the efficiency of the system. For exampleconservatively, if 75% of the energy stored in the steel cylinder can betransferred to the turbine and if 80% of the energy that reaches thesteam turbine can be converted to mechanical energy and if the generatorattached to the turbine is 60% efficient, the actual energy output ofthe system can be computed using these percentages. If the systemtemperature is set at 600 F the total power available for use is 61,121watt, as shown on FIG. 5, Item A. By using the efficiency percentage theactual power output of the system is 22,004 watt(61,121*0.75*0.80*0.60). The actual power output of 22,004 watt can behigher or lower because of possible change to the efficiency percentageused. If 6,000 watt is used to run the internal part of the system(2,000 watt for running the water pump, 2,000 watt to heat the chamber,and 2,000 watt to power the air conditioning unit) the rest of the power16,004 watt can be used for outside use such as electric powergeneration and run water pump for irrigation. The power output of thesystem can be increased by increasing the size and thickness of thesteel chamber, by using a better insulation, and by using high powerheating element to heat the chamber, for example using 1,000 wattheating element instead of 660 watt used for the prototype.

Referring to FIG. 1, Part D1 and E1, the steam generated in the steelcylinder is converted to mechanical or kinetic energy when it reachesthe steam turbine (D1). Steam turbines are made in verity of sizeranging from 1 Hp (750 w) to 2,000,000 Hp (1,500,000 Kw) and efficiencyranging form 20% to 95%. The efficiency of the turbine can be improvedby insulating the turbine. The mechanical energy from the turbine can beused to run several generators. The internal part of the system can runwith 11,002 watt (of 11,002 watt, 6,000 watt is used to run the internalpart of the system, and the rest 5,002 watt will be used for outsideapplication) of generator that is mounted on part D1, #1, and anothergenerator with 11,002 watt output can also be mounted on part D1, #3 torun other application. If the first turbine (D1) is not very efficient asecond turbine (E1) can be installed to run with exhaust steam from thefirst turbine (D1). The mechanical energy from the second turbine canalso be used to run generators for other application. If the firstturbine is very efficient it would not be necessary to build a secondturbine, because the exhaust steam from the first turbine will not haveenough power to run a second turbine.

Referring to FIG. 1, Part B, A, F, and G, these parts of the system areused for condensing the steam back to water and pumping it back to thesteel cylinder. Part B of the system is copper or steel condensing coil.The exhaust steam from the turbine goes through the coil to be condensedback to water. The air conditioning unit (Part A) blows cold air on thecondenser coil to make the condensing process more efficient. Othermethod can also be used to cool the condenser coil, such as cool air orwater from the outside. Once the steam has been condensed back to waterit is collected in a steel container (Part F). The water collected inthe container is then pumped back to the steel cylinder by using anelectric pump (Part G). The pump can pressurize the water up to 1,500PSI. The pressure of the water can be changed based on the system energyrequirement. If large amount of water is needed to transfer the thermalenergy from the steel cylinder to the turbine, the setting on pump canbe increased to higher pressure.

Referring to FIG. 1, Part H, the system can use different energy sourcesto start the electric generator such as natural gas and battery. Theenergy source has to be able to heat the chamber and the steel cylinderup to 600 F to run the internal part of the system as well as otherapplication. Once the generator starts running the electric generatedfrom the generator can be used to heat the chamber instead of thenatural gas, and the natural gas can be turned off gradually. Thecontainer (Part H) will store sufficient natural gas to start thesystem.

Referring to FIG. 2, Part A, B, C, F, G, H are similar to FIG. 1therefore explanation of the parts not required, but Part D2, E2, and Iare different from FIG. 1. The system displayed on FIG. 2 shows twocylinders and two pistons instead of turbine for converting thermalenergy of the steam to mechanical energy. A distribution apparatus (PartI) is used to distribute steam to the proper cylinder to rotate theshaft. As the shaft rotate it runs the generators (FIG. 2, #1, #2, #3,and #4) that are attached to the shaft. The distribution unit (Part I)can be powered using steam or electric. As the device rotates it opensand closes the proper valves to distribute steam to the proper cylinder(Part D2, E2). When the steam reaches the cylinder it moves the piston.The shaft that is attached to piston rotates as the piston move. Thisprocess converts the thermal energy of the steam to mechanical energy torun the generators attached to the shaft.

1. Insulated chamber apparatus with steel cylinder for use in storingthermal energy for steam engine, comprising: gas burner, air inlet,exhaust, heating element, steel pipe to bring pressurized water to thecylinder, and steel pipe to transfer steam to the turbine.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein: the structure housing the steel cylinderis completely insulated to prevent heat loss to the outside. The systemdoes not require air to operate therefore opening to the outside notrequired except at the beginning, for combustion.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein: the system uses natural gas at the beginning. Thisprocess requires an opening for air on the bottom and exhaust on top forcombustion. After the system start running the generator takes over andopening to the chamber not required.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1wherein: after the initial stage, the electric generated from thegenerator is used to heat the chamber. The heat from the natural gas canbe turned off gradually.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the steelcylinder at a safe temperature of 600 F will be able to store sufficientthermal energy to run the internal part of the system, as well as otheroutside applications such as water pump, generator, and locomotive. 6.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the size and thickness of the steelcylinder determine the amount of thermal energy stored for use. Thesteel cylinder can be small or large based on the energy requirement ofthe system.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the thermal energystored in the steel cylinder is transferred to turbine to be convertedto mechanical or kinetic energy to run the generator. Water is pumped tothe cylinder to transfer the thermal energy to the turbine by convertingthe water to steam. The steam carries the thermal energy to the turbine.8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: from the turbine the steam goes tothe condenser coil to be condensed back to water. The excess heat fromthe condenser can be used to heat water and building. Also the heat canbe used to boil water for filtration. The air conditioning unit keepsthe condenser coil cool to make the process more efficient. The waterfrom the condenser is collected in the steel container. The water pumpattached to the container pumps the water from the container back to thecylinder. In the cylinder the water is converted back to steam to carrythe thermal energy to the turbine.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 usesturbine to convert the thermal energy to mechanical energy. The thermalenergy can also be converted to mechanical energy by using piston andcylinder. To make this process possible the distribution apparatusdistributes steam to the proper cylinder. This allows the piston tomove. As the piston moves it does rotate the shaft. The generatorattached to the shaft produced electricity as the shaft rotate.
 10. Theelectric generated from the apparatus can also be used to run otherapplication such as a capacitor to store the electrons and release it toproduce a kinetic energy. This energy can be harnessed to move or fly anobject.